By Allan Fox: Deontay Wilder is keeping the pressure on the reluctant former heavyweight champion, encouraging him to face him, and saying it’ll be a “major disaster” if they never fight.
Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, don’t seem interested right now in making the fight with Wilder because it’s believed that they’re waiting on the Tyson Fury fight for next year.
They don’t want to mess up the big money they’ll get from the Saudis for that all-British affair. Hearn has already said that Agit Kabayel is one of the names they’re looking at for Joshua’s next fight in December.
That’s an opponent that the physically & mentally washed-up Joshua can still beat at this late stage of his ten-year career. AJ’s four days in complete darkness retreat thing that he did last week was a clear sign of how things are starting to unravel with him inside his head.
Obviously, the last thing Joshua needs right now is to step in the ring with ‘The Bronze Bomber,” get put out of his misery, and be sent into retirement getting knocked cold.
Wilder missing out on fights
The former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) needs to put Joshua out of his mind entirely and get back in the ring against Andy Ruiz or the best possible opponent. It’s been twelve months since Wilder last fought, stopping his old sparring partner Robert Helenius in the first round in October 2022.
Options for Wilder’s next fight:
- Andy Ruiz
- Efe Ajagba
- Frank Sanchez
- Jared Anderson
- Martin Bakole
“I promise you guys I’ll be back very soon. It’s just sometimes, the business of boxing has to run its course and do what it does. I’ll be back very soon,” said Deontay Wilder on social media about his return to the ring.
What Wilder appears to be taking about here with the “business of boxing” stuff is the Saudis choosing not to stage a fight between him and Joshua in their country.
Instead, they’re opting for the circus fight this Saturday between Fury and MMA guy Francis Ngannou, thinking that it’ll do well. It looks like they misjudged the fans because there is no buzz from fans on this monstrosity.
U.S. fans already saw one of those fights with the rip-off fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor in 2017, and they learned their lesson not to waste their money on stupid crossover fights.
“Another thing I want to address is a fight that everyone is looking forward to, and hopefully, it happens,” said Wilder. “I’m doing everything in my power to make it happen, and I’m referring to the Anthony Joshua fight.
Wilder sounds too needy right now and way too desperate than what is good for him with his harping about the Joshua fight. Deontay needs to show some gumption, forget about Joshua, and recognize that he’s waiting for the cash-put against Fury. Joshua will NOT be interested in fighting Wilder until he faces Fury once or twice.
Joshua won’t fight Deontay
“Anthony, you’re hearing it from the horse’s mouth himself,” said Wilder. “I’m here, I’m ready to go. I heard some of the things about what your promoter [Eddie Hearn] said about my last fight [against Robert Helenius last year in October], which only lasted a short period of time [less than one round], and I haven’t fought in a year, and he doesn’t know if I want to fight or not.
“I’m letting you know right now, right here, that I’m ready to fight and ready to get in that ring. Let’s make this the best time of our lives. This will be a major disaster if we never get in the ring and put our stamp down in history,” said Wilder.
Deontay is sounding really desperate here in an unhealthy way, and that’s a put-off. Hopefully, he snaps out of it, sees what time it is, and stops wasting time pining away for the Joshua fight.
Wilder has already been out of the ring for a year waiting on Joshua, and you’d think he’d have gotten the hint by now that it’s not happening.
“When people think about classic and great fights, I want them to think about us as well,” said Wilder. “To be able to do that, we got to get in the ring, and that’s what it’s all about. The silliest thing I’ve heard is people say that you’re not ready, and that’s the silliest thing.”
Wilder doesn’t want to believe the truth about Joshua. The fans can see that Joshua is mentally in a bad place and in no way ready to face Wilder, and, sadly, Deontay doesn’t see it for himself.
“I don’t believe that. I believe you’re ready. I hope you’re ready, I think you’re ready. Let’s make this happen., me and you. Let’s make the history happen. I’m looking forward to seeing your response. I’ll talk to you soon,” Wilder said.
